


Castle on the Hill

by GamerAlexis



Series: Small Town Klance [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Alternate Universe - Small Town, Best Friends, Canon Compliant, Childhood Friends, Falling In Love, First Crush, First Kiss, Fluff, Growing Up Together, M/M, Small Towns, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-05
Updated: 2017-03-05
Packaged: 2018-09-28 09:45:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10088384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GamerAlexis/pseuds/GamerAlexis
Summary: “Hi, I’m Lance!  Who are you?”“Uh, Keith.”“You’re going to be my new friend, Keith!” Lance cheered, resting both hands heavily on Keith’s wheelchair and jumping up and down.  “I don’t have any friends here yet but I’m not worried.  I make friends real fast, like you!  You’re just the first, which makes you my best friend.”“I’ve, uh, never had a best friend before,” Keith confessed softly.“I guess I’ll have to be your first!” Lance declared(Basically a slight AU where Lance and Keith are neighbors in a small town who grow up together)





	

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Ed Sheeran's "Castle on the Hill"

The pain in his leg was shattering.  Keith screamed at the sight of his leg bent the wrong angle.  They had been playing tag and he was running from Shiro and Matt when he tripped and tumbled down the hill and snapped his leg.  They were out in the fields, miles away from home, and Keith knew he couldn’t walk.

Big fat tears rolled down his cheeks, snot dripped from his nose, and Keith screamed and screamed.  Shiro crested over the hill looking white and scared, Matt close at his heels.  Blubbering in pain, Keith reached out for Shiro, for his big brother, but each move sent sharp white-hot pain down his leg.

“Oh, no, Keith!” Shiro swept down next to Keith, hands hovering over his body.  Keith whimpered and gripped his hands tight in Shiro’s shirt.  “Mom is gonna kill me.”

“What happened?” Matt swooped down next to Shiro.  His face went white behind his glasses as he looked down at Keith’s leg.  “Oh, my god, Keith!”

Matt reached out and touched right where Keith’s leg was bent wrong and Keith _screamed_.  His vision went black and fuzzy and he fell backwards onto the sweet grass, head spinning and his leg absolutely on fire.  He vaguely heard Shiro tell Matt to go back home but it was jumbled and garbled.

“Am I dying?” Keith mumbled as he heard Matt run off.  He blinked and Shiro’s face came into slightly, fuzzy focus.  “I think I’m dying, Shiro.”

“No, little bro,” Shiro gave a shaky laugh.  “You just broke your leg.  Matt’s bringing Mom and Dad.  They’ll bring the truck.  You’re gonna be okay, you hear me?”

Keith’s vision went wobbly and slightly black.  The sky was surprisingly blue today, not a cloud in sight.  It was pale, periwinkle blue that seemed to go on forever and ever.  There were no big mountain ranges to break up the horizon.  The sun was warm on his skin and the smell of the grass wafted over Keith as he cried.  His tears went cold and sticky on his cheeks.

The rumbling sound of an engine roared over the empty fields and Keith knew it was their family’s truck, sturdy and dusty blue.  Shiro was rubbing Keith’s hair, smoothing it back from his sweaty forehead.  He was whispering something but Keith was past hearing anything.  Instead he focused on Shiro’s face, his soft smile and gentle brown eyes.  The twist and curve of Shiro’s lips and he talked.

Crying, broken, probably dying, Keith couldn’t be more relieved to have his brother by his side.

Their dad appeared over Shiro’s shoulder, face scrunched up in concern.  His beard looked scruffier than usual and his hat was perched on his head, nearly blowing away in the wind.  He was wearing dirty overalls and his shirt was stained, he must’ve run straight from the farm.  He reached down and scooped up Keith in his arms and jostled the broken leg.  Keith screamed and the blackness in his eyes overwhelmed him and he slipped into unconsciousness.

 

The best thing about being nine years old with a broken leg was that Keith got all the special treatment.  Everyone signed his cast (Shiro signed it twice) and he got extra food at dinner and first pick of movies and dessert.  Not to mention he had Shiro and Matt pushing him all over the town.

Calling it a town was being pretty generous though, if Keith was honest.  Village seemed a better word for it.  There was one stoplight, just a flashing red light at the biggest intersection.  Most of the roads were dirt or gravel, and every little store was owned by families.

The best place to eat was, by far, this little greasy place by the stoplight called _Sammy’s_ , run by Samuel Grains and his family.  It was cozy and warm and had the best burgers and milkshakes that Keith has ever had.  Shiro talked a lot about driving over to Sandy (the nearest town that was on an actual interstate map) and eating at chain restaurants with even better milkshakes but Keith was pretty sure he was lying.

Shiro pushed Keith as fast as he dared down the bumpy road.  Keith laughed in the summer sunlight as _Sammy’s_ came closer.  He waved to Matt and his dad in their shop, his little sister riding her tricycle back and forth in front of the garage.

The Westmyers were taking their afternoon walk through town, their German Shephard trotting along beside them.  Mr. Westmyer was the best doctor in the county and helped to set Keith’s leg before taking him to the nearest hospital.  Keith doesn’t remember much other than cold hands and whispered voices but he did remember Mr. Westmyer driving him to the hospital.  From behind them came a crew of kids, all Keith’s age, racing on little bikes.

“C’mon, Keithy!” Corey, the biggest one in the front, called out.  “Race ya to the church!”

The only church was across town, at least a full mile away.  Other than Sunday when Father Jones held his little meeting, it was left mostly empty and all the kids Keith knew played in the rafters and hid among the pews.  A little, two story building the rested on top of the hill, the silhouette of it visible all through town.

Keith already had his hands on his wheels, prepared to race even though he was absolutely going to lose (because it would be shameful not to compete) but Shiro held on to the chair tightly and glared at the others.

“Keith needs to get better,” Shiro said.  “Not break more bones.”

They all groaned and Corey even laughed.  “Your loss, Keith!” he shouted as they pedaled away to the church, laughing at each other while ringing the bells on their bikes.

Keith pouted and felt his face heat up.  His brother was great but times like this reminded Keith why he didn’t have many friends.  In a small town like this, Keith was an especially lonely child.  Not many kids wanted to spend time with the weird one who was obsessed with space and urban legends.

Shiro didn’t notice anything off and just kept pushing Keith to _Sammy’s_.  The sign outside the building beside the restaurant was gone and Keith caught sight of a tall, brown man before getting pushed into the warm and muggy building.

Mr. Grains always talked about fixing the AC but never actually did.  He kept a fan running on the counter which helped a little.  The linoleum tiles were white and black and the tables were covered with red cushions.  It was small, only a dozen or so tables in the dining area and a counter window peering into the bustling kitchen.

A couple of farmers were sitting at the counter, beers in hand and chatting with Mr. Grains.  His daughter, Emily, was dutifully wiping down the tables, shouting to her brother, Drew, in the back of the house.  At the sight of Shiro, Emily’s face went red and she dropped the rag in her hands.

“O-oh, Shiro!” Emily fumbled for the rag, tucking her red hair behind her ears.  Her freckles popped against the blush on her cheeks and she smoothed down the apron over her jeans and tossed the rag over her shoulder.  “Just a milkshake today?”

“Just one for Keith,” Shiro said, pushing Keith up to the counter, weaving between the tables and chairs.  “A couple more weeks with the cast and he’ll be free.  We’re doing a bit of celebrating.”

Emily smiled down at Keith, showing the gap between her front teeth.  “Chocolate, right?”

“Yeah,” Keith nodded, still thinking about the race to the church he was missing out.

As Emily shifted behind the counter to scoop the ice cream, Shiro cleared his throat. “Did, uh, did someone buy the place next door?  The sign is gone.”

“Oh, yeah,” Emily said, dropping the ice cream into the blender.  “The McClain family just moved in.  Dad says they’re field workers or something.  They’re gonna start up a grocery store next door.  They’re a big family too.”

Keith perked up at that.  Big family meant kids which meant new friends!  Emily poured out the thick milkshake into a tall glass, topped it with whipped cream and a cherry and slid it to Keith with a fat, red straw.  He grabbed it eagerly, the cold glass slippery in his hands.

The door chimed open and Keith peered around to see that tall man from before, two small kids hanging around his knees.  They looked close to his age, both with dark skin and darker hair.  The boy had blue eyes and a smirk on his face, eyes latched onto the man.  The girl had brown eyes, her hair done up in pigtails and was pouting.

“Papi please!” the little girl whined.  “Aunty Maria buys us ice cream all the time!”

“Gabi, your aunt spoils you,” the man said.

“Spencer buys us dessert too,” the little boy mentioned.

“Because Spencer is old enough to work.”

Mr. Grains came out from behind the counter, warm smile in place as he welcomed the newcomers into the store.  The man was Mr. Lucas McClain and the two children were Gabriella and Lance McClain, his youngest two children.  Lance wiggled and sighed, eyes landing on Keith.  His face lit up and he darted away from his dad’s side, leaving his sister behind.

Keith held tight to his milkshake, protectively cradling it to his chest and making sure his broken leg was out of the way.  The kid looked far too excited and twitchy and it made Keith nervous.  Lance ran right up to Keith, smiling so big that Keith could see three missing teeth.

“Hi, I’m Lance!  Who are you?”

“Uh, Keith.”

“You’re going to be my new friend, Keith!” Lance cheered, resting both hands heavily on Keith’s wheelchair and jumping up and down.  “I don’t have any friends here yet but I’m not worried.  I make friends real fast, like you!  You’re just the first, which makes you my best friend.”

Keith could hear Shiro laughing with Emily and he kept his hands tight on his milkshake.

“I’ve, uh, never had a best friend before,” Keith confessed softly.

“I guess I’ll have to be your first!” Lance declared.  He looked at Keith’s cast and frowned.  “Best friends sign casts.  My big sister told me that.  All her best friends signed her cast when she broke her wrist; even before I signed it.  I’ll let it go since we just became friends but I have to sign it now.”

Numbly, and with some amount of whiplash, Keith spun his chair around and pulled out a marker.  He was used to doodling on the cast when he got bored and had already covered half of it with random designs.  Lance grabbed it eagerly and scrawled his name on the cast so large that it covered the entire area from ankle to knee.

“Hey!” Keith shouted as the ‘e’ ran into his doodles.

“Best friend,” Lance said as if that explained everything.  “Don’t worry, you’ll learn soon enough.”

And learn Keith did.  Lance slipped into his life without any warning and showed no signs of leaving.  He pushed Keith all over town, from the church at the top of the hill all the way down to the grassy farmlands.  There was one day when Lance hopped onto the back of the wheelchair and pushed them down a hill.  Keith had fallen out and bloodied his nose and Lance went flying down the hill into a heap of chair and limbs.  They had gotten scolded by both sets of parents but Keith couldn’t stop grinning.

But once the cast came off the town was at their disposal.  Keith never went anywhere without Lance by his side.  They worked in the fields together, rode their bikes down the streets as fast as they could, climbed to the top of the church to look at the stars.

Keith showed Lance how to catch fireflies at night and which part of the stream outside the town was best for wading.  He showed Lance the different constellations in the night sky and which hill was the best for bike races.

In return Lance showed Keith all about his family.  Keith spent more dinners at the McClain’s than at home.  Gabi was seven and a princess in every way, being the youngest of four.  Spencer and Angelica were seventeen and fourteen, both working around town.  (Angelica and Emily became friends instantly and Keith knew he heard them talk about Shiro behind his back all the time).  Then there was Aunt Maria, Uncle Javier and his wife, Penny, and Grandma and Grandpa Sanchez.

It was a lot of people in not a lot of space but it never felt crowded, just cozy.  But Keith still liked his time alone with Lance, just the two of them running through the fields, the heat of the sun on their necks and nothing but blue skies and green grass.

But nothing could last forever and as summer began to wane the school year started to loom over them.

“We’ll still be friends,” Lance said with a wobbly lower lip.

They were sitting on the hill right outside town, next to the church.  The autumn wind was blowing in and the sun was already setting.  Keith should be home helping the harvest, gathering corn, beans, potatoes.  He should be helping his mom bag it to sell and help his dad load the truck, but instead he was here.  They were sitting close enough that Keith could feel the heat radiating off of Lance’s skin.

“Of course we will,” Keith nudged Lance.  “Two different schools couldn’t change that.  We’re still neighbors, sorta.”

Lance laughed and nudged Keith back.  “Everyone’s neighbors here.”

“It won’t be fun without you,” Keith pulled his knees up to his chest.

“Well of course not,” Lance said.  “But we can do homework together and that’s sorta like going to school together, right?”

Keith leaned up against Lance, kneels still tucked up tight.  “Yeah.  I guess so.”

The breeze grew stiffer as the sun set lower in the sky.  Keith didn’t say anything and, for once, neither did Lance.  The last rays of light cast shadows across the little town and the fields of farmland.  Keith glanced up and saw the starts wink into existence.  Goosebumps ran up and down his arms but he didn’t want to move, didn’t want to break this moment.

“You’re my best friend, Lance,” Keith eventually whispered.  “Promise me you’ll always be my best friend.”

“Yeah, of course,” Lance said.  “C’mon, we should get home.  I’ll race you.”

Keith grinned and the two of them tumbled down the hill.

* * *

“You are no help at all, Shiro,” Keith snapped as they walked through the supermarket in Sandy.  He groaned and tugged at his hair.  The endless aisles of toys and games were not enough for Lance’s birthday.

Shiro only laughed and twirled the keys around his finger.  “He’s your best friend, Keith.  Don’t you know what he likes?”

“Everything!” Keith exclaimed.  He threw his arms out and spun.  “Everything here is what Lance likes!  He’s never not liked anything!  Except for losing or when he doesn’t get his share of dessert or when someone picks on Gabi or – ”

“Getting off track, Keith,” Shiro tucked the keys in his pocket.  “Maybe you shouldn’t buy something for him then.  Maybe you could make him something?”

Keith stopped and glared up at his brother.  Shiro was smirking faintly and Keith didn’t appreciate it.  He was Up To Something.  Without breaking eye-contact, Shiro pulled out a vibrant pink box from behind his back and handed it to Keith.

“A friendship bracelet?!” Keith shrieked.

Shiro bent over and _laughed_.  Keith dropped the box onto the ground and pushed Shiro over with a flurry of punches, none of which stopped Shiro from laughing.

Keith hated to admit that it was a good idea too.  Lance was friendly and happy and liked everything but he was sentimental too.  Once last summer Keith pulled out a colorful rock from the river and Lance still had it on his dresser, next to a pressed leaf from the oak tree in his own backyard and the jar of seashells from his family vacation to Cuba.

How hard could it be anyway?  Angelica and Emily had matching bracelets so couldn’t Keith and Lance have that too?

After punching Shiro into submission, Keith scooped up the box and walked to the checkout line, Shiro chuckling behind him the entire time.

 

As it happened, friendship bracelets were _hard_.  Keith knew it had to be a blue bracelet for Lance (it was his favorite color after all) so he practiced with pink and orange threads and created a tangled mess.  The bracelet was circular but that was it.  There was no pattern, no braid, none of the prettiness that was in the picture.

Lance’s birthday was in three days and Keith didn’t have time for mistakes.  He grabbed two different shades of green, hooked them on the safety pin, and started the complicated pattern again.  It started off fine until Keith lost count of his threads and the pattern was ruined.

Furious with himself, Keith gathered up his red thread and hopped on his bike.  He pedaled down the roads until he came up to _Sammy’s_.  He dropped his bike on the grass outside the restaurant and stormed in.

Angelica McClain was standing at the counter while Emily took orders.  Angelica had the same blue eyes as Lance but her hair was curly, like their mother’s.  She had it tucked in a high ponytail, curls escaping in the heat, sticking to her neck and forehead.  Keith ran right up to her and held out his thread, desperately not making eye contact.

“I need to make Lance a friendship bracelet for his birthday and the thread won’t work,” Keith said as fast as he could.

Angelica gently took the thread from Keith’s outstretched hand.  She waved over at Emily and led Keith to an empty table.  She gestured for him to sit beside her and held out the thread for him to grab.

Slowly, step by step, Angelica guided him through each step of the bracelet.  Keith felt something giddy build up in his gut as the pattern started to take shape in the red thread.  It was loose and wobbly at best, but definitely looked more like a bracelet than his last few desperate attempts.

“KEITH!”

Panicking, Keith slid the thread into his pocket before Lance could run in and see it.  Angelica ruffled his hair and with a soft “good luck” went back to work.

Lance bounded into the booth, sliding across the red bench and crashing into the wall.  He had a fresh bandage on his cheek that wasn’t there yesterday and was vibrating with excitement.

“Three days!” Lance cheered, throwing his arms in the air.  “I’m reaching double digits, Keith!  We’re gonna be _old_ soon!”

“Yeah,” Keith smiled and double-checked the red thread was tucked hidden completely away.  “Is everyone gonna make it to the party?”

“Are you coming?”

“Of course!”

“Then it doesn’t matter if anyone else comes,” Lance shrugged.

Keith laughed at that and kicked at Lance’s leg.  “Like you don’t want the whole town to be there.”

“Well, yeah, but I just need you.”

Keith’s breath caught in his throat and his face heated up.  “Best friend, right?”

“That’s right,” Lance said.

Lance dragged Keith out of _Sammy’s_ and they raced their bikes across town.  They stopped at the nearest orchard and picked as many apples as they could before they got caught.  Keith’s basket was full of apples and Mr. Littlewood was shouting abuse as they rode away laughing.

The apples were sweet and crisp, juices running down their chins as they rode, single handedly, down the fields and as far from the Littlewood orchard as possible.  Lance laughed like a maniac and swerved across the path, kicking his feet out and dragging them in the dirt.

They came home hours later, sticky with juice and covered in dirt and Lance had more scrapes on his knees than when they had left.  The red thread was still secure in Keith’s pocket and as soon as he was home he pulled it out.

The final result was a wobbly, slightly crooked bracelet but it fit around Keith’s wrist well enough.  He tied it off with a grin and admired it.  It wasn’t going to come off without scissors, but wasn’t that the point of friendship bracelets?

Feeling confident, Keith pulled out his precious blue threads and started weaving them together.  He copied every single move that Angelica taught him and by the end of the night, a suitable bracelet was sitting on his bed.  Dark blue and light blue woven together in a pattern that matched the bracelet on his own wrist.

It wasn’t perfect but it would have to do.

 

Three days later, Keith was walking up to Lance’s door.  His present was wrapped up with paper and string and tucked into his pocket.  His mom made him wear his best clothes and Keith tugged at his collar and stuck his lip out.  He and Lance have seen each other wearing only shorts and dirt – why did he have to dress up now?

Lance’s house was packed with people, most of them family, and the table was covered in cake and gifts.  Lance was in the middle of it, purple party hat on his head and having a heavy discussion with his mom.  The presents all looked huge compared to Keith’s and he kept it in his pocket.  He’d give it to Lance later.

Just as Lance wished, the entire town came out for Lance’s birthday.  Mr. Grains had made a giant triple tiered cake and it seemed like everyone had brought something.  There was even a new bicycle outside from Matt and Katie.

The party lasted all day.  There were games, a piñata, and tons of food.  Keith spent most of the party in a corner, plate of food in hand, watching the chaos unfold.  Lance tore through his presents like a tornado, eyes growing bright with every gift he opened.  They sang to Lance and he blew out the candles on his giant cake.

Night came and Lance finally stepped away from everyone else to come next to Keith.  People were slowly trickling out and Keith saw Matt carrying Katie out the door; she was fast asleep against his shoulder.

“That was the best birthday ever,” Lance grinned.  His face dropped and he kicked Keith’s foot.  “But I didn’t see a present from you.”

Keith blushed and the little present in his pocket felt like a hundred pounds.  He grabbed Lance’s hand and tugged him down the hallway until they came to Lance’s bedroom.  Keith shut the door behind them and leaned up against it.

He’d been here enough times that Lance’s room was as familiar to Keith as his own.  The ocean posters on the wall, the white dresser pressed up on the far wall next to Lance’s blue patterned bed.  Next to the door was a little desk covered with books on marine life and Lance’s pet goldfish.

“Don’t laugh, okay?” Keith let go of Lance to pull out the tiny present.  “I, um, worked really hard on it.”

Lance took the gift with gentle hands and carefully peeled the tape off, like he was afraid of breaking it.  Keith felt the butterflies in his stomach and heat on his cheeks as Lance slowly, tortuously slowly, opened his gift.

But soon, all too soon, the blue bracelet was resting in Lance’s hand and Keith felt more embarrassed than ever.  Compared to all the games downstairs, the new toys, the new _bike_ , Keith’s present had to be stupid.

“It was Shiro’s idea,” Keith started babbling.  “He said I should make something and I remembered Angelica and Emily have matching bracelets so I thought why not and I even have a matching one since we’re best friends and all.”

Lance stopped him by throwing his arms around Keith’s neck and pulling him into a hug – the biggest, tightest hug Keith has ever gotten before.  Keith hugged back just as hard.

“It’s the best present ever, Keith,” Lance said into Keith’s hair.  “I love it.”

Keith grinned to himself and buried his face into Lance’s chest.

* * *

Lance could already feel the judging gaze from Keith.

“I can explain,” Lance said but Keith started laughing.

It must be quite an image, Lance could admit.  A gangly twelve-year-old riding a cow and being followed by a little calf.  Especially because it wasn’t even his family cow.  Lance was just minding his business in the field (waiting for Keith to finish his chores) when the little brown calf came up to him followed by an angry mom.  So Lance panicked and jumped on the cow.

Admittedly, not his best move.

Keith was still laughing and reached out to rub the cow’s muzzle.  Lance couldn’t help but stare at Keith, he’s been doing that a lot recently – staring at Keith.  He’d changed a lot in the past three years, but so had Lance.  Both of them were on the edge of a growth spurt, but somehow Keith looked like he was already past the awkward stage of adolescence.

As opposed to Lance who woke up to a fresh set of pimples on his cheek and hair oily enough to fry chicken.  Add the braces and long thin limbs and Lance was a shoe-in for awkward teenage years.  He started up a skin care routine intensive enough for a supermodel and he was certain his skin _still_ wouldn’t be as clear as Keith’s.

“So how did this happen?” Keith asked, stroking the cow gently.  He was still smiling softly.  “This isn’t your cow.”

“Well, duh,” Lance rolled his eyes.  “Look, I ran into them in a field and they followed me here.  But the problem here is – the big problem is that _I don’t know who the cow belongs to_.  What if they find me, Keith?  I’d be labeled a cow thief forever!  The whole town would look down on me for stealing someone’s cow.  Keith, this is serious!  Your best friend could end up in prison for accidental cow theft!”

Keith’s eyes went sparkly (they did that sometimes) and he laughed.  Full blown, bent over, red faced laughter.  Lance couldn’t help but giggle through his pout.  Keith’s laughter was so contagious with his crinkly eyes and little snorts.  It was probably the first thing that Lance really liked about Keith since they were kids.

“You didn’t check the brand?” Keith slowly walked to the back of the cow, still chuckling, looking for the owner’s brand.  He made a noise and Lance turned around to see a little RJ branded on the back of the cow.

Lance had seen that brand before.  When he went to church with his family he remembers seeing it on a pin, tucked gently in a silk lapel.  A tiny RJ encased in a six pointed star.  Lance’s eyes widened as he remembered where he saw it.

“Father Jones!” Lance said at the same time as Keith.  Dread sank in his gut like a stone.  “I stole the pastor’s cow.  I’m not going to jail, Keith, I’m going to hell.”

Keith hopped up onto the cow behind Lance.  “You’re not going to hell, Lance.  You didn’t steal the cow.”

Lance turned around to glare at Keith and Keith just stared back at him bemused.  Lance was momentarily distracted by the way the wind blew across Keith’s hair (why wasn’t _his_ hair that nice?) and forgot that he was supposed to be upset.

“Alright, fine,” Lance sighed dramatically.  “Let’s take the cow back.”

Lance tightened his hands on the cow and Keith tightened his arms around Lance.

“I promise that if you go to imaginary prison for fake cow theft, I’ll visit,” Keith rested his chin on Lance’s shoulder.  “But I don’t know if I can be best friends with a cow thief.”

Lance grabbed Keith’s arm and flung him off the cow.

To Lance’s dismay, and Keith’s eternal gloating, Father Jones was only grateful that his beloved cow was brought home.  No prison and certainly no hell awaiting Lance for his inadvertent theft, only gratitude.  After a few prayers and blessings, Lance and Keith were on their way down the street, leaving Father Jones to tend to his cow.

Dusk left the air crisp and the sky orange and navy blue.  The breeze from earlier was gone, replaced with a heavy, still air.  Keith and Lance walked down the streets, bikes rolling beside them.  Lance was wheedling how often Keith would visit him if he did end up in prison and Keith wasn’t giving up anything besides “I’ll visit you”.

The intersection that separated their homes came close.  No matter how many times Lance and Keith came up to this intersection, he still hated coming up to it.  Three years of watching Keith either walk or ride away at this intersection made it probably his least favorite place in town.

Still, Lance put on a smile as he straddled his bicycle and watched as Keith started walking away.  It was a sight that Lance had long grown used to, watching his best friend walk away.  Lance knew it was something he was going to see probably forever.  That’s how friendships worked.  No matter how close they were, Lance and Keith would both have to go home at the end of the day.

Keith stopped suddenly and Lance almost fell off his bike from lurching forward.  Keith spun around and, even from this distance, Lance could see his smile.

“I would always come visit you, Lance!” Keith shouted.  “Wherever you go, we’re still best friends!”

“I’m not going anywhere!” Lance shouted back.

Lance turned away and sped down the road and, for once, the distance didn’t feel so far.

* * *

Keith tried to smile but it felt faked.  It was supposed to a be a good day, a great day even.  This was the day that Shiro was going to the Garrison to fulfil his dreams.  He was going to be a pilot and go to space, just like he’d always dreamed of.  Keith should be happy for him but instead he just felt sad.

There was a small get together in Keith’s home, Matt and his family were there too.  They were leaving town, going to live outside the Garrison to support Matt with his schooling.  Keith wasn’t that close to Katie but they had been neighbors since before Keith could remember.  It wouldn’t be the same without her.

She stood next to Matt, looking up at him with pure adoration.  They were seven years apart but Keith wouldn’t have guessed it with how close they were.  Shiro had an arm slung around Matt’s shoulders and they were both talking animatedly about going to the Garrison and their plans as roommates and students.

Keith bowed his head, hair covering his eyes, and snuck out the back door.  The summer air was heavy and muted as Keith walked down to the fields.  The sky was a dark gray, the promise of a summer thunderstorm thick in the air.  The wind picked up around Keith and he kept walking.

He was being selfish, he knew that.  Shiro had always wanted to go to space, to fly among the stars and discover new planets, and Keith wasn’t going to stand in the way of that dream.  It wouldn’t be fair, not after all that Shiro had done to keep Keith safe and happy.

It wasn’t what brothers did.

Keith sat down underneath the massive oak tree at the edge of the fields.  The winds blew around and rattled the leaves.  Keith could feel the storm rolling in, electric on his skin.  He curled up his legs to his chest.

Someone at school last year pointed out that Shiro and Keith didn’t look alike and asked if one of them was adopted.  Keith had never thought about it before, because Shiro was his brother and he never thought to ask.  But Katie and Matt looked identical and Lance looked like his siblings, so Keith started digging.

Which led to the worst night of his life.  Sitting at the kitchen table with his parents and Shiro as they pulled out the adoption papers and pictures.  Pictures of Keith in an adoption center, of him shyly holding hands with Shiro, of him coming home with his family.

His _adopted_ family.

The word spread fast and Keith spent the rest of his sixth grade year being called a store bought baby; that his real family didn’t love him enough so why would this family love him?

Keith felt his face grow hot and tears prickle at the corner of his eyes.  He wiped at them furiously and buried his face in his knees.

It just wasn’t fair.  He didn’t want to lose Shiro, didn’t want to be forgotten.  Isn’t that what happened before?  His birth family didn’t want him so why would this family want him?  What use would Shiro have for a brother that wasn’t actually related to him?

Is that why he wanted to leave?  The Garrison was miles and miles away.  Shiro wouldn’t be able to come home and visit except for maybe Christmas.  He’d be far away from Keith.

Thunder boomed overhead and the first fat raindrops fell on the dry ground.  The earth soaked it up eagerly.  The wind blew and then the clouds opened.  Keith was soaked in minutes, his dark hair plastered down his cheeks and forehead.  Lightning flashed across the sky and the thunder rolled across the plains.

Keith uncurled slightly, looking up at the darkening sky and feeling the warm rain fall down his cheeks, washing away the tears.

He could just run away; do a Huckleberry Finn and ride a raft down the river until he found a new place to live.  He could get a job, pretend to be old enough, and sleep under bridges or abandoned houses until he was old enough to rent out a place.  His family couldn’t abandon him if he left first.

He was standing up and walking down to the river before he realized it.  The mud squelched between his toes and he slipped a little.  The river was at least half a mile from his family farm and walking there barefoot was stupid but Keith kept going.

Maybe he would get pneumonia and die on the river before anyone noticed he was gone.  Then he really wouldn’t be a burden anymore.  Just a memory.  He was halfway there when someone shouted his name.

Turning slowly so he didn’t fall, Keith looked for who was calling him.  He was hoping to see Shiro, hoping that his brother recognized that he had left and was coming for him.  For the first time in four years, Keith was disappointed to see Lance come into view.

“Keith!” Lance called out, his voice breaking with relief.  “Dude, the whole town is looking for you!  Wha- what are you doing?”

Lance looked much more prepared for the rain.  He was wearing thick rain boots and a light jacket.  His brown hair was slicked back with the rainwater and his eyes seemed to be even bluer than usual.  Lance complained that Keith got the genetic jackpot with puberty (something about skin?) but really it was the other way around.  Lance had the look of someone who was going to be devastatingly handsome in a few years.  Broad shoulders, charming smile, flawless skin, Keith was a little bit envious.

Especially because right now, Keith probably looked like a drowned rat.  His hair was long enough to get into his eyes and his feet were muddy.  His baggy clothes were hanging off his body and heavy with water.  He looked down at his toes and didn’t answer Lance.

“No, seriously, Keith,” Lance’s boots came into sight next to Keith’s feet.  “What are you doing out here?”

“Shiro’s leaving,” Keith muttered.  “He’s leaving because of me.  Because I’m just a – just a store bought baby.  I don’t belong, Lance.  I never have.”

Warm, wet arms encircled Keith and he felt his face pressed against Lance’s chest.  He lifted his hands up and rested them on Lance’s hips.

“You’ve always belonged, Keith,” Lance said softly, so softly it was almost drowned out by the pounding rain.

Keith hiccupped as a sob caught in his throat and he grabbed Lance tighter, fingers digging into Lance’s hip, bunching up the fabric there.

“I just don’t want things to change between us.”

Lance shifted and pulled back, his arms still resting on Keith’s shoulders in a loose embrace, but now they were face to face, noses almost touching.  Lance’s eyes were practically glowing blue and Keith absently followed a raindrop as it slid down Lance’s cheek.

“Remember when Spencer left for college?” Lance said, at Keith’s nod he continued.  “I hated it.  He’s my big brother and he was going to be so far away, but he told me that we’re still brothers, no matter how far apart we are, and I can always call him.”

“But you _are_ brothers!” Keith protested, carefully pulling his eyes away from the freckles on Lance’s nose.  “I’m not actually Shiro’s brother, just the kid his parents bought.”

“Do you hear yourself?” Lance shook Keith slightly.  “Family isn’t about blood, it’s about _love_.  Don’t you remember when Shiro got into a fight with Corey because he teased you about your hair?  Or when he left his date early because you needed help with your homework?  He’s your _brother_ , Keith, adopted or not.”

Keith let out a little huff of laughter and shivered.  Lance pulled away and took off his jacket, revealing a loose shirt underneath.  The shirt was soaked through instantly, sticking to Lance’s body like a second skin.  Keith wrapped the jacket around him.  Lance had longer arms and Keith had to roll up the sleeves a bit.  He tucked his face into the jacket; it was warm and smelled nice, smelled like Lance.

“We should get back,” Lance tucked his hands in his pockets.  “I wasn’t kidding, everyone’s looking for you.  You’ve been gone for hours.”

They walked the mile back to Keith’s house in silence and Keith felt a sudden urge to reach out and take Lance’s hand in his own, to lace their fingers together and feel Lance’s palm pressed up against his own.  The blue bracelet was stark on Lance’s brown wrist and Keith could only imagine how it would look next to his own red bracelet.

The feeling faded as quickly as it came and Keith had to pull back his wandering fingers.  They stepped up to the town and Keith was engulfed in a massive hug from his mom.

“Don’t you ever do that again!” she said, holding him even closer.

“I’m sorry, Mom,” Keith mumbled into her hair as he hugged her back.

She pulled back and patted his cheeks.  Her eyes were damp with tears and Keith saw, really saw, how much love was in that gaze.  Fresh tears filled Keith’s eyes and he pulled his mom into another hug.

Later, after many tears and a long hot shower, Keith knocked on Shiro’s door.  The storm was still raging outside, the rain thrashing against the windows and the thunder loud enough to shake the air.  When Shiro didn’t answer, Keith pushed open the door slowly.

“Shiro?”

The room was dark but Keith could see Shiro moving on his bed.  The lamp on his desk flickered on and Shiro sat up, rubbing his eyes.

“Keith?” he squinted.  “What’s going on?”

“Sorry,” Keith flushed.  “I just… I was hoping we could talk?”

Shiro nodded and gestured for Keith to come in.  Closing the door behind him, Keith carefully walked to Shiro’s bed, sitting on the edge.  Shiro’s room was packed up to fly out in the morning.  He had two suitcases propped up at the door and everything else packed up in boxes.  It made the room look smaller than usual.

“Is this about earlier?” Shiro asked, nudging Keith.  “Lance mentioned you were upset.”

“I don’t want you to forget me,” Keith said quickly.  “You’re going to be so far away, Shiro.  I don’t want to be alone.”

“I’m not going to forget you,” Shiro said.  “And I promise you can call me whenever you need to, okay?  I need someone other than Matt to talk to after all.”

Keith laughed a little at that.  “Promise we won’t drift?”

“We’re brothers, Keith.  Just because I’m moving doesn’t change that.  Okay?”

“Okay.”

Keith slept in Shiro’s room that night.

* * *

Lance stared at the keys in his hand.  He looked up at his dad who was smiling.

“Are you…”

“She’s all yours, son,” his dad said.  “Keep her in town until we can go up to Sandy for your permit, but she’s yours.”

Lance’s lower lip wobbled and he threw his arms around his dad.  “Gracias, Papi!”  His dad laughed and ushered him out the door.  Lance laughed, clutched the keys in his hand, and ran outside.

Jumping into his truck ( _his_ _truck!_ ) Lance didn’t know what to do first.  He had his own car.  Freedom was at his fingertips.  Lance turned the key in the engine and the sound was music to his ears.  He buckled his seatbelt, changed the station to some oldies rock, and pulled out onto the road.

In a few moments he was pulling into Keith’s house.  Lance turned off the rumbling engine and hopped out of the truck.  Not bothering to knock, Lance waltzed into the house.

“Keith!” Lance called out as he ran down the hallway to Keith’s room.  He paused to wave to Keith’s mom, who waved back.  Lance slammed Keith’s door open.  “Keith!”

Keith was laying down on his bed, reading a book about NASA.  His walls were painted dark blue and he had glow in the dark stars scattered over the ceiling and down the walls.  Keith had a large bookcase to one side of the room (filled with conspiracy theories) and posters of galaxies and aliens on his walls.

It was so different to Lance’s own room, the vastness of space compared to the enormity of the ocean, and he loved it.  It didn’t hurt that Keith in his room was more comfortable than Keith outside.  This Keith was soft around the edges, quick to smile and wearing sweats and loose tops.  The Keith outside his room was stiff, careful and guarded with his emotions.

Lance didn’t care either way, Keith was his best friend.  His ridiculously attractive, quite charming, and brilliantly intelligent, best friend.  God, he was going to make someone _really_ happy.  Keith glanced up and blinked owlishly at Lance.

“Lance…?”

“I got a truck!”

Lance grabbed Keith by the arm and dragged him out of the house, pausing only for Keith to slip into his shoes.  They crashed into the truck and Lance eagerly started the car and pulled out to the town.  He couldn’t go to Sandy, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t just drive around with his best friend, right?

“So, where to?” Keith asked as Lance pulled onto the road that led out of the town.

“Wherever we want,” Lance looked over at Keith and floored it.

The truck jumped forward and Keith whooped with joy, rolling down the window and letting the wind blow through his hair.  Lance turned up the radio and kept driving, desperately keeping his eyes on the road.  He drove up a dirt path that led to a lookout.

It wasn’t anything spectacular, just a short mountain range resting miles outside of town.  A dirt path led up to a small plateau that looked over the entire valley.  It was possible to see their home town from the lookout, a handful of small houses and large fields and the church, ever present on the hill.

Lance parked his truck at the edge of the lookout, just in time to see the sun start to set.  Lance loved watching the sunset, watching the sky turn violet, orange, and pink, feeling the air start to turn cool, Keith pointing out the first few stars popping up in the sky.

The radio was playing a soft ballad as the sun slowly dipped below the horizon.  The windows were still down and a tempting breeze floated through the truck cab.  Keith had his legs thrown up on the dashboard, sweatpants slipped down to expose his pale legs.  His hair was getting long, Lance noticed, curling around his neck and ears.

“It’s beautiful,” Keith whispered.

“Yeah, it is,” Lance whispered back, not looking away from Keith’s profile.

Keith turned and the last rays of sunlight caught his face and Keith _glowed_.  His dark eyes were sparkling and there was a faint blush on his cheeks.  Lance had never seen something so beautiful before.  His stomach flipped and his heart started pounding in his chest.  The rays dropped and the moment was broken.

But as Keith leaned forward to look out the windshield, eagerly quizzing Lance on his astronomy, Lance could only think of one thing.

He was fucked.

* * *

Lance wanted it on record that it wasn’t his fault.  Of course Keith was still his #1 super best friend _forever_ but he needed a school friend too and, well, Hunk sorta became that best friend.  But what else was Lance supposed to do?  Fifteen years old, his best friend at a different school, and genius Hunk Garrett sitting alone at the table.  It was no question for Lance and, to be honest, Hunk was an _awesome_ friend.

He lived in the next town over and wanted to go to either culinary school or the Garrison.  Lance was hoping Hunk would go to the Garrison because that’s where Keith was going and, hello, both of Lance’s best friends in the same place?  Sounded pretty perfect, but that’s only if Hunk went to the Garrison.  Hunk just started working at as a fry cook and he _adored_ every moment of it; he was meant to be a cook.

“It’s payday!” Lance cheered, sliding down the hallway into Hunk.  They crashed against the wall of lockers and Hunk dropped his books.

“No, Lance,” Hunk said, stooping down and picking up his books.  “Payday was last week – did you get your weeks messed up again?”

Lance rolled his eyes and hoisted his backpack up on his shoulder.  “Okay, last week we got the money, but today we spend it!”

“Not this week, actually,” Hunk sheepishly looked away, closing his locker.  “I’ve got a project for physics and that huge calculus assignment due.  And work, of course, always.  Maybe next time?”

Lance let out a heavy sigh.  “Yeah, okay, you’re right.”  He pushed off the locker and tucked his hands in his jacket pockets.  “But do you wanna make a burger run before all that?”

Hunk’s face split into a wide grin.  “You know the words to my heart, I swear.”

“Of course, my Hunk,” Lance swung his arm around Hunk’s shoulder and side by side they walked to the parking lot.

His truck, an old, rusty red truck with worn down upholstery and a sticky blinker, was waiting in the lot.  Recently she hadn’t been doing so well and it took a few tries to turn the engine over but she was a good, reliable truck and Lance couldn’t complain.  Not when he and Hunk went cruising down the country lanes, pushing ninety to get to Sandy as fast as possible.  Elton John was blasting on the old radio and the windows were down.

It was early spring; the air was warm and damp and there were clouds on the horizon, promising a storm tonight.  Lance slowed down as he came up to Sandy’s city limits and pulled up to the first McDonald’s he saw.  They went through the drive-thru, Big Macs and McFlurries in Hunk’s lap, and Lance peeled out of the city, heading to Hunk’s house.

“Are you and Keith doing anything this weekend then?” Hunk asked around a mouthful of fries.

“I don’t know, maybe?” Lance leaned back in his seat, reaching out for his burger.  Hunk opened it and handed it to Lance.  “He’s got his usual phone call with Shiro on Saturdays and he’s already freaking out about entrance exams for the Garrison so I don’t know.”

“He needs a break.”

“I know!”

Hunk reached over and elbowed Lance.  “So take him out.  Buy some booze and take him out and get drunk.  That’ll relax him.”

Lance glanced at the blue bracelet on his wrist.  It was worn and the threads were fading but it hadn’t left his wrist in the past five years.  It was far, far too precious to lose.  He thought about Keith, how he spent the last week studying and working and not spending any time with Lance at all.  Hunk was right, Lance needed to take Keith out and loosen him up.

After dropping off Hunk, Lance stopped by the local liquor store in his own town.  It was run by a sarcastic older woman who was never afraid to sell Lance a few bottles of cheap spirits.  She said that if he was old enough to drive, old enough to fight, then he was old enough to drink.  Lance just had to swear to never drink and drive.

Easy enough, Lance would rather spend his drunken nights at the church with Keith by his side anyway.

With a couple of bottles clinking in his passenger seat, Lance drove up to the church and parked his truck in the shade, throwing his jacket over the alcohol.  Father Jones never questioned seeing Keith or Lance’s truck parked beside the church, they were there so often.

Lance walked home, his backpack heavy across his shoulders.  His mind wandered off to Keith, as it often did recently.  He wondered if Keith was home from school already, or if this was the Friday he had his taekwondo lessons, Lance could never remember.  His phone buzzed in his pocket and Lance fished it out, smiling as the name _Spencer_ flashed on his screen.

“How’s my favorite little brother doing?” Spencer greeted.

“I’m your _only_ little brother,” Lance protested.  “Not a fair comparison.  I’m fine, by the way.  How’s the college life?”

“Almost over, thank god,” Spencer’s voice sounded exasperated.  “What about you and Keith?  Told him yet?”

Lance could almost see Spencer’s smug face.  He groaned and dragged a hand down his face.  Of course he hadn’t told Keith yet.  Keith was his best friend.

“No,” Lance sighed dramatically.  “You don’t just confess your crush to your best friend overnight.  Besides, don’t you have a girlfriend now?”

Spencer latched onto the topic with both hands.  He cooed about his new girlfriend and how he was going to bring her home to visit over the holidays.  Lance let out a sigh of relief and listened to his brother ramble on and on about his girlfriend’s hair and smile and the way she smelled.

And Lance let his mind wander again.  He thought of Keith’s hair, dark and silky, long enough to curl around his ears and blow in the wind.  He thought about the way Keith smiled.  The soft, barely there smiles, the big full faced grins that left his eyes crinkling.  The little snorts when Keith laughed too hard and how warm he felt pressed up next to Lance as they laid in the truck bed at night.

“You still there, Lance?” Spencer’s voice broke through his thoughts.

“Yeah, sorry,” Lance shook his head.  “Just… distracted.”

“It’s Keith, isn’t it?”

Lance’s face went red hot and he hung up the phone, shoving it into his pocket.

 

It was well after sunset before Lance could finally drag Keith out of his house and up the hill to his truck.  Keith insisted on driving and parked his truck beside Lance’s, pale blue next to rusted red.  They climbed into the back of Lance’s truck and cracked open the bottles.

The alcohol burned on the way down and warmed Lance up as the air went cool.  They passed the bottle between the two of them, slowly they slipped down until they were lying down in Lance’s truck bed.  They were pressed together, side by side in one hot line.  Lance could feel every movement Keith made, the shift of his arm as he took another drink, the rising and falling of his chest with every breath, the brush of their friendship bracelets on their wrists.

“Someday Shiro’s going to be up there,” Keith mumbled, his hand moving up to the stars lazily.  “And I’ll be right behind him.”

Lance pushed his shoulder against Keith’s, knocking his hand out of the air.  Keith giggled and turned so he could face Lance.  Longing filled Lance’s chest at the reminder that in three years Keith would be off to the Garrison to follow his brother into space while Lance went south to study marine biology.

“What about me?” Lance hated how vulnerable his voice sounded.  He knocked their hands together.  “What about us?”

Keith interlocked their fingers; it was awkward to do it with their hand back to back, but something in Lance trilled at the feeling of their fingers brushing together.  Keith kept his gaze on Lance, face blushed pink from the booze and eyes reflecting the starlight.

“Remember when you thought you stole Father Jones’s cow?” Keith whispered.  He slid his hand around until they were holding hands properly, palm to palm, fingers laced together.  “You thought you were going to jail and I promised I’d come visit you if it happened.”

“I remember.”

“And I said no matter where you go we’ll still be best friends.  Do you really think space is going to change that?”  Keith’s fingers tightened and Lance reflexively squeezed back.  “You’re still my best friend, Lance.  Always have been and always will be.”

Lance would blame it on the alcohol later, on the stars and the tender look on Keith’s face.  He would say it was the feel of Keith’s hand in his own, of his breath ghosting across Lance’s lips.  But Lance knew none of that was actually true, that the truth was he’s wanted to kiss Keith since he knew what kissing was.

It took only the slightest movement and Lance was pressing his lips against Keith’s.  It was a dry, soft press of lips but it left Lance’s entire body humming with electricity and heat.  He pulled back slowly but Keith followed him down, keeping their lips together.  Lance opened his mouth to catch a breath and the entire angle of the kiss changed.

He felt Keith’s tongue tantalizing at the edge of his lips and his entire body went hot and he _melted_.  He took his free hand and reached out to gently cup Keith’s neck, keeping him secured in place.

They exchanged languid, soft kisses for hours.  Keith had pushed them in the truck bed until Lance was flat on his back, Keith pressed on top of him, chest to chest and legs tangled together.  Lance had his hands on Keith’s neck, thumbs pressed against the pulse point there.

Keith pulled back slowly.  His hand traced across Lance’s chest, stopping to rest on his fluttering heartbeat.  The moonlight haloed around Keith’s hair and Lance dragged his thumb up to stroke across Keith’s cheek.  Keith smiled and leaned down for another kiss.

 

Lance woke up in his truck bed to the sun shining bright in his eyes.  His head was pounding and he rolled up to the edge of his truck, vomiting onto the ground.  Sitting up, Lance realized he was alone in his truck and that there was no familiar blue truck parked beside his own.

With a groan, Lance climbed out of his truck bed and stretched his arms high over his head, popping his back.  He hoped that Keith made it home safe.  Starting up his truck, Lance made the slow drive home, taking turns carefully to not upset his stomach.

He pulled up in front of Keith’s house and concern rocketed up when he didn’t see Keith’s blue truck outside.  Lance shut off his truck and ran up to the door, stomach lurching as he knocked frantically on the door.

“Keith!” Lance shouted, trying the door knob only to find it locked.  “Keith, what the hell?!  Are you okay?  KEITH!”

There were footsteps behind and Lance whirled around, nausea rising to his throat, hoping to see Keith or his parents walking up to the house.  Instead it was Drew Grains on his morning jog before he opened _Sammy’s_ for breakfast.  He had his earbuds resting over his shoulders and was walking up to Lance.

“Didn’t you hear?” Drew said as he came closer, resting a hand on Lance’s shoulder.  “They moved last night to be closer to Shiro.  I thought Keith told you?”

“What?”

“They’re gone, Lance.”

Something in Lance’s stomach dropped out and his breath caught in his chest.  Gone?  Keith was gone and didn’t say anything?  Gone far away to the Garrison without a goodbye, without a chance for Lance to explain himself?  It wasn’t – that couldn’t be true.  They were best friends.  Best friends tell each other everything.  Right?

So why didn’t Keith tell him about this?

* * *

Lance stared up at the school in front of him.  He couldn’t believe he was actually here, at the Garrison, with Hunk by his side.  It had been three years of hard work but finally he was here.  He almost didn’t make it either, if it weren’t for someone else dropping out Lance would’ve been carted off to the side as a cargo pilot.

But he was here now and that was the important thing.  He was here and he was going to find Keith.

“Okay, Hunk, I’ll take the cafeteria and the west wing classrooms.  You scope out the dorms and the east wing.  Between the two of us we’ll find him!”

“Find who?”

“Keith!” Lance exclaimed.  “You know, the only reason I came here?”

“Lance, not that I don’t support you 100% but this is a big school and it’s been years.  Maybe he’s not here.”

“Nope, no way,” Lance shook his head.  “Keith never shut up about space and about going to the Garrison and following Shiro’s footsteps.  He’ll be here.  I know it.”

“But last year – ”

“It doesn’t matter.  He’s here.”

Lance grabbed his suitcase and stalked into the Garrison.  Keith had to be here, he had to.  Especially with what happened to Shiro.  If Keith wasn’t here, Lance wouldn’t know what to do.  He came to the Garrison on scholarship and didn’t ever tell his parents why he really applied.  He knew how that conversation would’ve gone.  _Yeah, Mom, I’m throwing away my swimming career and all those years studying marine biology to become a space pilot but only because this boy I really like went here and I never got to tell him how I feel._

That one kiss didn’t count as a confession after all.

After dropping off his stuff in his dorm, Lance went out to find his simulation assignment.  He was supposed to have an engineer and a communication officer on his team.  They would be his partners for the entire time at the Garrison.  Lance was praying for Hunk.

Speaking of, Hunk was by the sign already, waving for Lance.

“Wish granted!  I’m your engineer!”

“Yeah, baby!” Lance pumped his fist.  “Who’s our third?”

“Um, Pidge Gunderson?”

“Right here!”

Behind Hunk came a small, very familiar figure.  Lance hadn’t seen Katie Holt since her family moved away five years ago but that was undeniably her standing there.  Her hair was cut short and she had glasses on but it was the same mischievous smirk that Lance and Keith learned quickly not to underestimate.  She looked the spitting image of her brother in fact and Lance spluttered.

“Lance?!” she gaped.  “Oh, my god, it is you!”

“Katie?!”

She paled and her eyes darted around the hallway.  Grabbing both Hunk and Lance, she dragged them down to an empty classroom.  Lance’s head was spinning.  Why was Katie in the Garrison?  Why wasn’t she using her real name?  Where was Keith?

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Lance hissed as the door shut behind them.  “You’re a little young to be here, Katie!”

“I hacked in, of course.  And call me Pidge.  Katie has too much history with Iverson,” she said.  Lance got the feeling there was much more to that story.  “But what about you, Lance?  I thought you _hated_ flying?  Why are _you_ here?”

“To find Keith,” Hunk piped up.  “Lance has been pining after him for _years_ now.”

Lance’s face flushed and Katie – Pidge stared at him with narrowed eyes.

“Didn’t you hear what happened?”

“About Shiro and Matt?  Yeah, so?”

“So Keith left.  He dropped out months ago to find Shiro.  Actually, that’s why I’m here.  There’s something fishy about the Kerboros mission and I’m going to figure it out.  The news says it was an accident but I know it wasn’t.  They’re hiding something.”

Hunk and Pidge started talking but Lance tuned it out.  His entire body went numb and he thought he was going to faint.  Keith left?  He wasn’t at the Garrison anymore?  But where would he go?  Lance couldn’t just let it go, couldn’t forget about Keith.  They’d been friends for almost ten years, best friends.  Keith was his first kiss, his first crush, and he would stop at nothing to find him again.

So where did he go?

* * *

“It’s a distraction for him!” Pidge shouted, pointing to a figure running towards the tent.  Dark hair, red jacket, heavy boots.

Something in Lance’s chest lurched out as the recognition hit him and it took a second for Lance to catch his breath.  Keith’s hair hadn’t changed over the years, still longer than necessary.  But he filled out his jacket better than before and he moved stealthily past the boxes.

“It’s Keith!” Lance shouted.

Of course it was Keith.  His brother was trapped in quarantine after being missing for an entire year, where else would Keith be except for saving Shiro?  Lance didn’t wait to see if Hunk or Pidge were following him, he just ran down the hill, ran towards Keith.

Lance burst into the tent just as Keith was lifting up Shiro from the table.  He snapped up, body tensed to fight and Lance lost himself in those eyes.  How was it possible for Keith’s eyes to get even bigger?

“Keith,” Lance breathed.

“Lance?”

His voice had gotten deeper, something Lance was definitely going to think about later, but right now he just wanted to relearn everything about Keith.  He was broader than before, thicker with muscle on his arms and chest.  His eyes were the same, luminous and large as they widened with recognition.  Peeking out from the sleeve was a red bracelet, woven and threadbare.

Then Pidge and Hunk came crashing in and the entire Garrison army was after them.

 

It was much, much, later that Lance finally had a chance to breathe.  He was on a different planet with a psychic connection to a robotic lion and working with the last of an alien species to take town a tyrannical empire.  Not exactly how he thought his Thursday was going to go, but oh well.

At least he had Keith again, sort of.  Between finding the lions and fighting off the Galra, they hadn’t had the chance to talk, to really talk.  Lance didn’t know what he was going to say.  Confess the love he’s been harboring for the past three years?  Tell Keith that he traveled halfway across the continent to go to a school he hated just to find him again?

Did he tell Keith that he’s never felt this way about anyone else before?  And not just recently, but since he was twelve years old, riding a cow back to Father Jones.  Since he was thirteen, holding Keith together while he cried in the pouring rain.  Since they were fourteen, telling stories in the soft and intimate darkness with only the stars for light.

Arus had a bright orange sun and two moons.  From where Lance was sitting outside the Castle, he could see the moons start to rise, one blue and one pale pink, while the sun slowly set, turning the sky a bloody red.  It wasn’t the same as Earth sunsets, but still beautiful in its own way.

“Can I sit here?”

Lance jumped at Keith’s voice.  God, he looked gorgeous in the fading orange light, his cheeks flushed pink.  Lance nodded dumbly and Keith sat down on the hill, close enough to touch.  Lance’s heart went into overdrive and his palms were sweaty.  He was right there, right next to Lance and oh, god he dreamed of this moment for _years_.

“I missed you,” Keith eventually said.  “I thought about you every day.  I wished… I wished I had told you how I felt earlier.  Like we could’ve had more time.”

Lance reached out and grabbed Keith’s hand, palm to palm he weaved their fingers together, matching friendship bracelets brushing against each other.  Keith squeezed his fingers tight and something warm sparked down Lance’s spine.

“We’ve got time now.”

Keith looked up and Lance felt breathless as he stared into Keith’s eyes.  Large, dark eyes that shimmered in the fading light.  Then he smiled and Lance felt like his entire world shifted.  His heart was a jackhammer in his chest and he felt like crying.  Keith leaned closer, his eyes slowly drifting shut.  Lance met him halfway.

Keith’s lips were as soft as they were three years ago.  They kissed softly and languidly, a gentle push and pull between their lips and Lance felt himself melting into Keith.  They pulled apart slowly.  Keith scooted closer to Lance, until there were pressed side to side, and rested his head on Lance’s shoulder.

New stars twinkled into existence over their heads, stars from a new galaxy with new patterns and planet.  The Altean castle towers sparkled in the dying light and somewhere in the back of Lance’s head he could feel the blue lion, resting and peaceful in her hanger.

But here, hand in hand with Keith, sitting on a hill and watching the sun set, Lance knew that he was home.


End file.
